Chimborazo

This must be one of those places everyone knows about but me. Because there's no way a reasonably priced, delicious, cozy spot like this could be a secret. And if that's the case, I'd like to fault the city of Minneapolis for not introducing me to this place sooner. Heavens. So many lost opportunities for Chimborazo empanadas!

I'm not sure that I've ever had Ecuadorean food before but this one bowl of soup made it clear I need a more intimate understanding of the cuisine. The picture doesn't do the flavor or the size justice.  This is Encebollado de Pescado, a fish soup with ahi tuna, cassava, onion and tomato, and topped with tostados.  I'd never heard of a tostado (and, I'll admit, I expected some kind of chip).  But it tasted like a roasted piece of hominy, and the waitress confirmed the similarity so I gave myself an internal high five for a good guess. This bowl was hot, hearty, and satisfying, with huge chunks of fish in a bowl that could have easily fed two people.  Instead of offering to share, I took half the bowl home and enjoyed it the next day for lunch.

The spot is cozy and occasionally crowded at prime supper times but the happy hour specials make the wait worthwhile.  One of their brunch specials, a trio of empanadas with potatoes and eggs, sounds like heaven on a plate.  We split a beef empanada to start and it was perfect! An empanada and a cup of soup would be a great (and cheap) dinner out, if you're interested in fun flavors that don't break the bank.

This is a Northeast Minneapolis gem and I expect to return often.

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